Black/Red Week

The retailers maybe feeling black after consumers spent the weekend shopping. Hold on, we still have black Monday to ensure if we haven’t spent it all, retailers are there to pick-up the rest. Looking back over the weekend, did you get the best deals? Were you able to come within your budget. Is there a better way? Here are some tips to becoming a Savvy Saver!

Recommendations for spending less:
– Wait 30 days before buying anything you don’t absolutely need; chances are the urge to buy it will pass if you wait, and if not, you may find the item on sale.
– Avoid temptation by opting out of catalogs or e-mail announcements from companies trying to sell you things you really don’t need.
– Purchase birthday and holiday gifts throughout the year and keep them in a designated box or closet; making a list of everyone’s special occasion needs will make it easy to take advantage of sales.
– Try frugal gift-giving, like giving the gift of spending time with someone, giving something you baked or made yourself or helping them out with a project; it doesn’t have to cost a lot to be a generous gift.
– Create a sleeve for your credit cars(s) with pictures of things you really care about to remind you of what you are saving for… or the debt you’re paying off.
– Exchange your books, DVD’s, CD’s video games and other items with friends and family, or use an online service to swap or sell.

It’s time to educate yourself by Spending Smarter:
– Prevent unnecessary or poor-quality home and auto repairs by finding skilled, honest professionals from a trusted source.
– Evaluate your cell phone plan options regularly to make sure they match your needs; check to see if another plan would save you money. Also get rid of the excess channels on your cable package that you rarely watch; it’s cheaper to rent a movie once in a while.
– Use flexible spending accounts to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars; check with y our HR department for more information.
– Save on your insurance premiums by paying them annually or semi-annually instead of monthly or quarterly.
– Consider buying pre-owned; you can buy almost anything in a resale environment locally or online at a great price.

Taking these steps will educated yourself beyond the average consumer to what’s called; A Savvy Saver. Good luck and happy hunting and saving.